Rupa Neupane

Chandra Kumar Rasaili, popularly known as CK Rasaili, is a Nepali musician, composer, and lyricist. He was born in Baluchistan, Pakistan, while his father was serving in the British Army. He later studied in Meghalaya, India, where he played in an orchestra before moving to Nepal. Rasaili gained recognition after performing at Rastriya Nach Ghar during King Mahendra’s birthday celebration, where the King personally gave him a song to compose. He has worked with Radio Nepal and composed music for Nepal Police and Nepal Army. His contributions to Nepali music earned him prestigious awards, including the Narayan Gopal Memorial Award (2017) and the Natikaji National Music Award. Some of his notable songs include: Premko Mala Kasari Ma Bhuleu Aankha Dekhi Ojhel Jannma Garidein Kahilekahi Ma Haschu Dukheko Dil His compositions reflect themes of love, nostalgia, and cultural identity, making them resonate deeply with audiences.

Suraj Nepal, The Esraj player born in Nepal started a love affair with music since his childhood. He grew up listening to folk and religious tunes played during various festivals in Kathmandu. At the age of 10 he started playing madal (A Nepali percussion) and started singing folk songs since his school days. As years passed, his interest in eastern classical music and instruments grew. That’s when he met a musician friend of a relative that introduced him to Esraj and encouraged him to learn the instrument. He learnt Esraj from Guru Santosh Bhakta Shrestha who then was the only person in Nepal to play the instrument. He too was his only disciple. He received a diploma in Esraj and in 2007. Since then he’s won many accolades, performed with many international artists, played many projects, bands and function. He’s benchmark performances include Playing for Change Organization, Varanasi International Ashram, Udaipur Shilpgram Festival, CPI NTOK 2014 Korea and Wumeng Grassland Music Festival China 2016, Inner Mongolia China 2018 & Wilma Israel 2019 etc.

Pramod learnt tabla at home from his father Pundit Hom Nath Upadhyaya. Drawing inspiration from his maestro father Pramod started playing tabla when he was a toddler and at the age of five he performed at then Royal Nepal Academy (now Nepal Academy) which was his maiden show. His first abroad tour was for the German Unification Day in Germany. He had also an opportunity to learn tabla from legendary Ustad Alla Rakha from an institute named after the Ustad himself in Bombay, India. Incidentally, Pramod also had an opportunity to learn from Ustad Zakir Hussain for three months as the maestro happened to be a visiting faculty at the institute. Pramod is adept in all percussions made of leather. Besides that, he has worked as a recordist in many studios in Nepal. But, his fame is not confined as a musician or a recordist either; he has also lent his voice to many popular songs. Pramod was affiliated to Sukarma since its inception and has been playing in the group for ten years now.

Nepal has many flautists but no one has completed his Masters in flute-playing as has Jeevan Ale, He completed his Masters from the Prayag Institute of Illahabad, India. Having devoted more than half of his life to classical music, this resident of Mahottari has finally received accolades for his efforts. Though interested in flutes from an early age, Ale says that he only understood the intensity of its music when he started studying it. he was more involved in the academic side of music rather than the practical. He taught at Kathmandu University and also gave private tuitions.